


How The Stars Align

by mylow2851



Category: Homestuck, MS Paint Adventures
Genre: Albino Dave, Albino Karkat, M/M, dave is an ass for awhile
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-22
Updated: 2013-04-03
Packaged: 2017-12-06 03:56:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/731201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mylow2851/pseuds/mylow2851
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Karkat moves in with his brother, Kankri, and soon after meets a mysterious boy with hair stark white like his own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Karkat: Move In With Your Brother

**Author's Note:**

> This one is going to take a lot of time to finish, because I want to make sure I think over everything I put in here. I've been working on this chapter for more than two weeks.

My dad stared at me like I was an idiot. “What the fuck did you just say, kid?”

I couldn’t help but smirk a bit as he looked me over, my one bag slung over my shoulder lazily, “I told you I’m going to live with my fucking brother and you can’t stop me. I’m eighteen and he said I could move in. So get the _fuck_ out of my way.” I stepped forward and he glared at me, but slowly moved out of my way.

“Don’t bother showing back up, then. And don’t let him show is ugly face around here, either. Fuck, you don’t even know what you’re going to miss you worthless piece of shit. Don’t ever come back, I never want to fucking see you again.”

“What the fuck ever, I never intended to come back.” I walked out the front door and to my car, throwing my stuff in the passenger seat and taking off. I fucking hated my brother, he was so heart-set on equality and he just loved everyone so fucking much it was sick. But hell anything was better than D- Slick. What a stupid fucking name. He wasn’t even my dad anymore. Hell, he never was. But when mom died it was better to stay with him and know the hell Kankri and I were going to be in. Even when Slick got really pissed and stabbed me that one time, it was better than some of the stuff that happened in foster care.

A few hours later I was pulling into Kankri’s driveway without much thought. Hell, when had I gotten here? Who the fuck even cared? I left my car with my bag and went and knocked on the door, leaning my back against the brick wall beside me.

After a minute or two Kankri pulled the door open with a little smile. “How’d our father take it?”

“He told me never to come back, told me to tell you not to show your face around him, so better than it could have been.” I said passively, stepping inside his house and looking around. God _damn_ he had a nice place. A spiral stairwell off to the right near the kitchen, a small fireplace crackling in an extremely spacious living room… A high-vaulted ceiling with candles near the balconies of the second and third floor, lit, and normal lights in floral shaped light covers. “God _damn_ you’ve got a nice place.”

“Please refrain from using the Lord’s name in vain within my household,” He was quiet and calm, not judging or rude or angry.

“Yeah, whatever, sorry.”

A girl in a blue dress leaned over the railing slightly from the third floor. “Oh, Kankri? Is that your brother? The one you’re always talking about? Karkat, right?”

Before Kankri could open his mouth I smirked. “Oh, you actually found someone who could tolerate you? Good for fucking you. And, yeah, I’m Karkat Motherfucking Vantas.”

“Karkat, this is Aranea, a good friend of mine from school. Her girlfriend kicked her out after a fight a few weeks ago and then skipped town to go live with her parents again, please try to be more considerate before you assume… I’m not very sure what you were assuming, and perhaps you weren’t that was rather judge-mental of me I am very so-“

“Can it, Kankri. I thought you were dating her, so yeah I fucking assumed something.”

“Don’t worry about him.” Holy shit when did she end up right next to me? I tried not to look startled. She didn’t act any different. “I’m just a good friend, yes.”

I nodded, not really caring for conversation. A four hour drive in the middle of the fucking night could wear a person out. I flicked my obnoxiously white hair out of my face and looked back at my brother. “So where’s my room?”

Kankri looked back at me with a small smile “Third floor, fourth door on the left. It’s connected to the observatory, I think you’ll like it.”

The observatory… Oh, oh fuck yes. “Thanks,” I smiled at him, heading up to the third floor.

I opened the door and looked around, tossing my bag on the bed. It was a nice room, painted an olive green with candy red designs. The bed was queen-sized and soft, comfortable, there was a balcony instead of a window, and I found that it had a rope bridge to a door on what I assumed was the observatory. Damn, Kankri really did have a nice place.

I felt bad for imposing on him, feeling as though I should try to thank him in a more appropriate way. And to try to pay rent as soon as I found a fucking job. Which was going to be a great feat with the economy how it was.

I crossed to the observatory and opened the door which was conveniently unlocked. Not sure why he would have locked it anyway, seeing as it was too high for anyone to reach and how his property was actually gated. The inside of the observatory was the same as any other, and I made my way to the telescope rather quickly. 


	2. Karkat: Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karkat remembers a bit of what life was like before Kankri left for college. After a talk with Aranea he has a strange dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These have been pretty short so far but they won't always be like that. And I wrote this pretty fast, but I think it conveys what I wanted it to, so that's okay.

Kankri was the one who’d taught me about the stars when I was a kid, teaching me how to spot constellations and what they meant, the stories behind them. He’d taught me how to operate the telescope he worked months to buy, and eventually trusted me to use it on my own. After a long fight with our dad he’d often take me out on the roof of our shitty apartment, telling me stories about history, mythological mysteries. He was always so strong, even though our dad would attack us, usually verbally, but sometimes physically. Our father strived to “teach us a lesson” but it always seemed to get out of hand, sometimes ending with long nights at the police station.

Somehow, Kankri never blamed Slick for what he did. He didn’t make excuses, either, though. He was so… nice about everything. He didn’t fight back, but tried to reason with him, tried to calm him down. It was all so familiar to me, looking back. I thought about how in those three years after Kankri left how Slick treated me, how I’d been hoping for Kankri to come back, but then slowly learned that probably wouldn’t happen. And it didn’t. He didn’t return for holidays or birthdays, he didn’t call Slick. But he called me, at least a couple of times a week. And we’d talk, and when he’d called on my eighteenth birthday and asked if I’d like to live with him, I couldn’t tell him no, because as much as I fucking hated it, I missed the asshole. And I didn’t want to spend any more time around Slick, that was for _damn_ sure.

So as I looked through the telescope I found Lynx and smiled, looking over at Auriga.

“Karkat?”

My head spun around and to look at Aranea, smiling as she walked closer to me. “I’m guessing you’re looking at something, hm? Your brother told me you were really good with astronomy.” She watched I stepped back, nodding her over to the telescope. After a second she nodded, tipping her head back from the telescope. “Auriga. Nice choice. Here, let me show you my favorite, okay?”

I nodded at her as she moved the telescope, stepping back after a moment or so. I looked through, recognizing Scorpius. “Scorpius, hm?” She nodded at me, taking a seat nearby. “So… My brother took you in after your girlfriend kicked you out, huh?”

“Yes, he did. She was never much of a person to be around, that’s for sure. I cared for her, but I don’t really know why. She was rude and often hit on others, including your brother and my best friend Meenah, who happens to be in a mess herself right now. Your brother offered for her to move in here, too, but she refused.” Aranea sighed, tossing her head back. “Your brother insisted I move in, telling me there was no way I should leave midsemester when I was doing so well in all of my classes. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a great person, but he can go off of tangents that get a little annoying. I love him, though. He’s a good person, and I’m very lucky to have him as a friend.”

I couldn’t help but snort at that. “Yeah, he’s pretty insufferable, but he was always there for me as a kid, always trying to keep Slick calm. He taught me a lot, and kept me safe. I guess I owe him, but fuck if I’ll ever say that to his face.” Aranea nodded at me. “I’m gonna go to bed so I can hopefully get up tomorrow before fucking two in the afternoon.”

“Good night,” she said, but you barely caught it, heading back to your room and taking straight to your bed after flicking the lights out. It was so comfortable and you found yourself asleep faster than you knew possible.

I dreamt of blue skies and clouds. In one of the clouds I saw a boy, pale just like me, eyes covered by sunglasses, but obviously the same startling red shade as my own. He smirked at you and then was gone. I woke with a start, blinking at the light in my room. The clock read 9:14 AM and I dragged myself out of bed. Might as well start the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next one's from Dave's point of view and should be longer.
> 
> EDIT: Yeah I think I'm going with Karkat again. I'll still try to make it longer, though. No promises.


	3. Karkat: Obtain a Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karkat decides he wants coffee and ends up in the Peixes' Cafe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm no good at summaries ugh. I'm working, they'll get better as time goes on I think. No promises.
> 
> Also wow I'm sorry for not updating sooner I'm really busy. And also, y'know, I've got a tiny bit of writer's block, but I'm trying to work around that, so. Anyway, I hope y'all like it. Next chapter (I MEAN IT THIS TIME) will be from Dave's POV).

I rolled out of bed, tossed on a black turtle neck and wandered down the stairs, eventually remembering where the hell the kitchen was. Coffee sounded so fucking good right about then. So I searched through the cabinets, rolling my eyes when I remembered, oh, yeah, Kankri doesn’t like coffee.

“Kankri, I’m going out for coffee I’ll be back whenever the fuck I get back,” I called up the stairs, hoping he could hear me, but not caring enough to actually look for him.

“I’ll let him know,” Aranea assured me, walking down the stairs. “There’s a really nice coffee shop in town that my friend’s parents own. I think you’d like it. It’s also the only coffee shop in town, so you’ll probably end up there unless you’re just going to go and buy coffee and a coffee maker.”

“Uhhuh, I’ll keep it in mind,” I opened the door, stepping out.

In a blur I was at my car, pulling out of the drive way and heading towards the main town. After realizing that Aranea was right about there only being one coffee shop in town, I parked and headed inside.

“Coffee, black,” I ordered, the girl at the counter smiling as she called the order to a girl who appeared to be her sister in the back. I paid and sat down, drinking my coffee while staring out the window. Spring was setting in, brightening the earth. What a lovely sight, flowers and bees and sunlight. I numbly wished it was winter again, so it was colder and easier for me to spend time outside.

“You’re Kankri’s bro, ain’t cha?” A girl with two long braids and short hair asked, leaning up against the table I was sitting at.

“Yeah, you are?”

“I’m Meenah Peixes, I’m a friend of your brother. And Aranea, taken that you’ve met her. If not, you will. She talks a lot. I mean like never fuckin’ stops.”

“Yeah, like you’re any better,” I mumbled, finishing off my coffee. “So Kankri told you about me, then? How’d you know it was me?”

“Yeah, you’re Karkat, right? And you look like him for one, but there’s also that,” she pointed to my crab watch with a smirk.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. Typical Kankri, telling people about me and how “proud” he is of me. Ick.

“Look, I need to get back to looking for a job, so I-“

“You can have a job here. You’re hired, don’t ask.”

“What the fuck are you ev-“

“MOM I QUIT. TAKE THIS GUY, HE’S A GOOD PERSON FOR A REPLACEMENT. I HIRED HIM BEFORE I QUIT, YOU’RE STUCK WITH HIM.”

I sighed, hitting my head on the table. Well, job fucking found. “Look I don’t even know what to do. I’ve never worked in a coffee shop.”

“Can you run a cash register?” Another girl looked over at me, her name tag reading ‘Feferi.’

“Yeah…”

“Then hold on let me get your uniform and you can work the cash register today, we’ll teach you how to do everything else tomorrow, don’t worry,” she smiled before walking off to get my uniform.

 

After calling Kankri’s house and leaving a message with Aranea that I wouldn’t be home for a while because I’d managed to snag a job (I could practically hear her roll her eyes at what Meenah had done), I changed into my uniform.

“You look great. So just stand there and take orders. Sorry I can’t really teach you, I didn’t have much notice,” she sighed sharply. “Sorry about my sister. She’s really a good person, you just have to get to know her.”

I nodded as a boy with white hair and stupid sunglasses stepped up to the counter, ordering a chai latte.

“It’s ironic,” he told me, even though I hadn’t asked. I was too busy trying to catch a glimpse of his eyes behind his shades. He looked so… _familiar._ I was sure I’d seen him before. What confused me even more was his eyes, which I couldn’t see, even though I had a good guess at the color. “Contacts?” he questioned, arching white eyebrows just above his shades.

I blinked a few times self-consciously before shaking my head. “No, I’m albino.”

“Ah,” he collected his tea from Feferi as I waved the next costumer up, taking their order.

 

The rest of the day passed pretty quickly, and I got to know Feferi rather well. She was sixteen and dating some guy named Sollux, who was a computer programmer. And she liked fish puns. Oh god did she like fish puns. It seemed like her whole family did, from what she’d explained.

She told me a story over lunch, about how when she met her cousin Eridan the first time, he didn’t know that they were cousins, and apparently didn’t speak English very well. She kept trying to tell him that they were cousins and he needed to stop hitting on her. It wasn’t until her mother (who introduced herself as Condesce) translated and explained it to him. She said he was so embarrassed that he avoided trying to talk to her for several days.

In turn, I was going to tell her my favorite Egyptian myth, but lunch was over way too quickly. When the shop finally closed and Meenah returned, Feferi said that I should be back tomorrow at eight (typically it would be nine since that’s when the café opened) for training. I nodded and thanked her, giving Meenah a passive fist bump on my way out.

On the way to my car, which was parked just a little ways down the road, I thought about the people I’d met throughout the day. The white haired boy from earlier burned bright in my memory, his white hair and pale skin reflecting through my mind. I really hoped that he’d show up again soon.


	4. Dave: Introduce Yourself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dave thinks things over whie sitting on a park bench, drinking a chai latte. His childhood was a mess, huh?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should probably have spent more time on this than I did. Sorry for long-time no update, though. Anyway, have some of Dave's memories.

I sipped at my chai latte, cursing myself slightly. Really, ask the obviously albino kid about his eyes? He was probably self-conscious now, thinking that people thought he was a freak.

 _“He is,”_ I think unintentionally, taking another sip of my latte. Spring days were the best, when the trees were starting to get leaves and the grass was turning bright shades of green instead of the dead, dull brown. I couldn’t see how anyone could dislike it. I thought the same about the snow though, with the beautiful white flakes covering every surface, sparkling in the sunlight. Beauty was all around me, everywhere.

I chuckled at that thought. I sounded like Mom used to, back before she and Dad offed themselves. Sighing at the thought, the memories flooded in.

 

Mom, with her long blonde hair, smiling at me, telling me “Shhhh, shhh, everything will be alright, your dad is better fit to take care of you anyway.” Dad, with his dark brown—almost red—eyes that and black hair, gripping my mother’s hand.

The roof of our apartment was always empty, no one cared for it. Dirk and I kept plants sometimes, and Mom loved them so, so much. She always smiled when she told us how great they looked. I wondered what she meant, “Your dad is better fit to take care of you anyway.”

My father gripped her tight, whispering into her ear. I caught every small giggle and smile, every nervous, apprehensive step they took towards the edge of our building. “It’ll be over soon,” Dad said to her, just barely loud enough to catch. “Nothing will hurt anymore, this is it, this is it.”

I didn’t have time to ask what he’d meant before I saw them tumbling off the edge, falling, falling. I didn’t scream, or cry, or panic. I remember feeling numb. I was eleven, just eleven, and my brother, Dirk, he was twenty-five.

 

 _“Eleven and orphaned,”_ I thought to myself a frown tugging at my lips. _“Jumped right in front of you. Deserved it, though, right? They wouldn’t have brought you along if you didn’t deserve it. Never would have brought you if you didn’t deserve it.”_

I met my three best friends within a month after that, played it cool. They didn’t know—still don’t, if I was honest—and never, ever would. Why would I want to tell them I’d lied about everything? Well, not everything. Rose was a different story, though. She knew, but she wouldn’t tell. She was my best friend for years before Bro told us the truth, that _he_ was my dad and that Roxy was my mom and that, okay, wow, Rose was my twin sister.

 _“And you live with her now,”_ my thoughts wandered to the design of our house, the one Dirk and Roxy helped both of us buy.

Rose was so keen on calling them Mom and Dad. I knew it was because she’d always known Roxy as her mother. I couldn’t bring myself to it, though. Even after I knew the truth, and what my mother had meant “Your dad is better fit to take care of you anyway”, I couldn’t bring myself to it. She was my mom and Dad was my dad, even if not biologically. Even if I could never forgive them for leaving me, hurting me. Bro would always be just… Bro.

I forgave him for lying to me, especially when he explained what had happened.

 

He was fourteen, same as Roxy, and they were just… Stupid. That’s how he’d put it. They were young, they were stupid, and they didn’t bother to think. One fun night lead to parenthood, and in his case, false brotherhood. Mom and Dad didn’t want him to raise me, said he was “far too young for that shit”, and, if they could have, they would have taken my sister, too. Instead, Roxy convinced them to let her keep Rose and I ended up staying with them. Bro said it was the worst set-up they ever could have thought up.

He laughed when he told me why he and Roxy decided to tell us.

Roxy called him up, for the first time in five or six years. “Diiiiiirrrkkkk!” She slurred into the phone, obviously heavily intoxicated. “Dirk, Rosey’s a-talkin’ to some boy named Dave S-HIC-Strider.”

“So what? Common name, Rox, quit worrying.”

“But ‘e’s a-albino and from Texassss.”

I remembered the next part, how Bro called to me and asked me “Dave, you know some chick named Rose Lalonde?” and how I’d answered yeah, that she was pretty cool and I was thinking I might ask her out sometime.

I also remembered how he _forbid_ me from ever dating her and how later that night I asked her out, smirking when she said sure, why the fuck not. When I told him, he flipped his shit and before I knew it we were on the next flight to New York.

 

I laughed to myself again, downing the rest of my latte. I’d had a fucked up childhood, that was for sure. Tossing the paper cup into a trash bin, I stood up, fumbling for my camera. Budding flowers? _Click._ Trees with small leaves bringing light to them? _Click._ Little kids hanging upside down from the monkey bars? _Click._

If the rest of the day went like this, it would have been fine. Sadly, one of the moms gave me a dirty look and I had to high-tail it out of there before she called the police or something. I didn’t even look like a predator, right? Tall, skinny as a rail, hair unnaturally white and eyes—hidden by shades—a disgusting shade of red that made me cringe every morning when I looked in the mirror. Nah, not the predator type, but still.

I walked by the coffee shop again, thinking about that strange boy with the nametag “Karkat.” I knew something was going to happen with him, in time. Between the two of us, I mean. Great, now I was telling the future like I was the fucking knight-of-time or someshit. Still, something was going to happen and maybe we’d be friends. Or mortal enemies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: Okay hey guys. I figured I'd let you know that, yes, I am still working on this (even though it's been nearly a month since my last update). I'm probably never going to completely drop a project out of nowhere.   
> It's just that I've had some stuff going on lately and a bit of writer's block when it comes to this story so it'll take some time. I figure that now would also be a very nice time to shamelessly self-advertise my tumblr, so here you go if you have any questions http://kankricuddlingkoalas.tumblr.com/


End file.
